Solar farm's impact would be 'minimal'

Tenant farmers Emma and Rob Sturdy outside the public inquiry in Malton

The long-term impact of a proposed solar farm on nearby countryside would be "minimal," an ongoing public inquiry heard earlier.

John Ingham, a landscape architect and consultant for developer Harmony Energy, said: "Once the hedgerows have been planted and have become established, over time, the effect would be minimal."

The company has appealed North Yorkshire Council's decision to refuse consent for the solar panels on farmland in Old Malton and a hearing is being held before a government planning inspector.

The site is owned by the Fitzwilliam Trust Corporation but tenanted to farmers Rob and Emma Sturdy, who said that if the scheme went ahead it would make their business "unviable".

Government intervention

Harmony's application was turned down last year before the developer submitted an appeal.

Shortly before the inquiry began at Ryedale House in Malton last month, the government intervened and said the final decision would be a Cabinet minister's rather than the planning inspector's.

Mr Ingham accepted that a 150m stretch of public right of way would not be screened from the solar farm when the point was put to him by the legal counsel representing the Sturdys.

He said: "I take the point. There would be views of the solar farm until the new hedgerow mitigation is established."

'Least sensitive'

Speaking outside the inquiry, Frances Nicholson, one of Harmony's directors, said the firm had always taken care to design the site "sensitively".

The scheme started out with a much larger area, but reduced it, meaning the site's main impact was now on the "least sensitive" parts of the landscape.

Ms Nicholson said: "Invariably there will be some effects. But with added planting and mitigation, and taking the most sensitive fields out of the solar array, we are left with a scheme that should be acceptable in landscape and visual terms."

The Sturdys have argued that taking land out of agricultural use for the solar panels would leave them unable to grow enough food for their livestock.

The inquiry will hear evidence in public for the final time tomorrow before the delegation visits the proposed solar farm site on Thursday.

Closing statements are due to be published online by 7 October.

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